Jacalone: Dogs should be leashed while on beaches

Dogs should be leashed year round on the beach, says County Commissioner Marc Jacalone.

And because he is getting complaints about conflicts between dogs and people on the beaches, he wants the Board of County Commissioners to review again its leash law as it pertains to beaches.

''I think these kinds of things can be avoided and minimized if we recognize that these things can happen,'' Jacalone told the county commissioners last week. ''It is a good subject for a workshop because I want to make sure that ordinance is effective year round so they (dogs) can't hurt anybody.''

The county has an apparent conflict about dogs on leashes with two laws in force at this time, says Leon Shimer, county recreation director.

Shimer said the county's leash law requires dogs to be on a leash on the beach and in other areas of the county all the time.

But an old law only requires dogs to be leashed on the beaches April to September.

''The beach code is silent on the leash law because we refer to the county leash law,'' Shimer said in an interview.

Shimer said the county needs to repeal the old law so there won't be a conflict with the county leash law.

Commission Chairwoman Mary Kohnke said in an interview that she was not aware of the conflicting laws but expects that to be brought to the commission when Jacalone's workshop is scheduled.

She said she is torn by the issue of dogs on the beach running off leash. ''I have had people call me about big dogs going up to people on the beach and little dogs getting snappy and nipping at people's legs,'' Kohnke said. ''On the other hand, I used to take my shepherd and greyhound down and let them run off leash at Mickler's (Beach).''

Although other commissioners did not respond to Jacalone's concerns during the meeting, County Commissioner Jim Bryant said later, he, too, is concerned about whether all the beach rules regarding dogs are being enforced.

He thinks a workshop should also include a review of the enforcement of the leash law and especially the section about disposal of a dog's leavings on the beach. The county law requires the owner to carry a scoop or a bag for disposal of a dog's leavings.

''It is a health risk to let that stuff sit on the beach when we have people, especially children, playing on the beaches,'' he said.

Bryant said the county's public safety assistants who patrol the beaches are supposed to carry these bags with them to give to dog owners who do not have them with them.

Leo O'Farrell, organizer of St. Johns Paw Park, the corporation that worked with the county to open the Paw Park at Treaty Park, said dogs off leash on the beach can be a problem.

He said he has walked his dogs on the beach but kept them on leash without incident.

''I have heard some horror stories about people whose dogs are on the leash and some in contact with dogs off leash,'' he said. ''That creates a very difficult situation.''

The Paw Park requires dogs to be off leash but they are in a controlled area, O'Farrell said.

Commissioner John Reardon, who worked with O'Farrell on the Paw Park plan, was unaware of the conflicting laws.

''But if there is a law that is in conflict, then we need to purge it from the books.''